LITTLE INFORMATION

17th December, 2017

• 110th National Day was celebrated in Haa at Gyampo Tshaypamay and Chungdu’s Densa. It was for the first time where the occasion was grant with the presence of Grandfather, Father and the Grandson of Drukyul. (Yabmay Say Sum).
• The king’s speech was specially on:
• Sovereignty of our country
• Self preparedness, internal relationship and cooperation.

24th December, 2017

• For their graceful contribution in the field of songs and dances, Ap Gangkar Wangdi and Aum Sangay Choden received the Druk Norbu Medal (Tagma) from His Majesty on 
• Bhutan Tourist Council had built 9 additional public toilets in the tourist rich areas. As of 2017, 29 public toilets were found to be in use.

12th March, 2018

• The pilot of US Bangla Airlines flight from Dhaka crashed on Monday killed 49 people. There were 67 passengers including 4 crew members. 
• The cause of the tragedy was expected to have miscommunication b/w the Air Traffic Control (ATC) and the Pilot of the Bombarder 8 Q400.  (Which end of the airport’s single runway the plane was to approach)

2017 Population and Housing Census of Bhutan

• The National Census secretariat under National Statistics Bureau declared the total population of Bhutan as 735,553 persons as of May 29, 2017.
• The report launch event was graced by the Hon’ble Lyonchen Dasho Tshering Tobgay.
• THREE golden message from the THRONE (During 13th Convocation, June 25, 2018)
• We are the guardians of peace, stability and harmony.
• We are the custodians of our national identity.
• What we lack in numbers; we must make up with talents and dedication.

Pillars and 9 Domains of GNH 

 I. Sustainable & Equitable Socio economic Development                          

 1. Living standards                              
 2. Education                                       

 3. Health

 II. Preservation & Promotion of Culture         
 4. Cultural Diversity& Resilience  

 5. Community Vitality of Culture     
                          

6. Time use
    
7.Psychological well being     
   

III. Conservation of Environment  

8. Ecological Diversity  

IV. Good Governance    
9. Good Governance

11th Golden Youth Award Camp, 2018

• Dasho Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister graced the closing ceremony of the Golden Youth Award organized by the YDF. 
• At the event, Lyonchen congratulated the 80 students from all the 20 Dzongkhags and also highlighted that the GYA is an opportunity for all the students across the country to give their best and becoming responsible. PM added that the essence of the GYA is reflected with the guidance the His Majesty the King has provided to the students; and the unwavering commitment Her Majesty, Gyalyum Tsering Pem Wangchuk has bestowed towards creating better youth for the future as envisioned by His Majesty Drugyal Zhipa.
• This year’s (2018) theme of ‘Celebrating UNITY FOR EXCELLENCE’ is to remember our beloved Monarchs under whose vision and guidance, Bhutan has been blessed with Excellence and Compassion and a Golden Era. 
• Kinley Yangden from Druk School Higher Secondary School, Thimphu was declared ads the winner. Karma T Phuntsho from Motithang Higher Seconadary School, Thimphu and Jamtsho from Gongzim Ugyen Dorji Central School, Haa followed as the fret and runners up respectively.
• The Golden Youth Award was launched to commemorate the 50th birth anniversary of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo. The first GYAC was held in 2008. 

Impact of social media in students' learning

Social media is the collection of online communication channels dedicated to community-based input, interaction, content sharing and collaboration. The use of social media is at the heart of any discussion, especially to the Bhutanese learners. That is, the use of social media in learning has a certain power to create knowledge and learning. However, Karpinski (2009) stated that social media has a negative association with student’s academic performance which is much greater than the advantages derieved through the use of social media platforms. It is therefore, a wastage of time, a source of abusive behaviour, plagiarism which ultimately deteroites the academic performance of the learners.

Excessive utilisation on internet watse precious time which otherwise could be used worthily.  It was observed by Paul (2012) that majority of the learners spend the time for chating and making friends. In addition to it, if social media is not handled and utilised positively, then the unsocial thing about social media in regard to learning is certainly going to be reality in face. The users of social media choose to post the selfies and status on a particular day, they will have read nothing wortwhile by the end of that day although they will have spent substantial time checking out the pictures. Nevertheless, that social media has the power to elevate the learning of the students if used wisely. They would easily connect to the rest of the world for information and new learning updates.

Anonymity in social media is prone to abusive behaviours. In the course of using social media, users land up being friend and interacting with unknown users. Such acts could humuliate and cause personalised attacks which has an adverse impact on the youth in learning process. Some forum pages in social media are filled with anonymitic users whereby personal attacks and defamations are prevalent and showcased through comments and stickers. For instance, the social media page (facebook) like ‘Bhutanese News and Forum’ is high-flying scenario of such acts. These types of remarks not only create mishaps to the society but are aslo the killers of young and happy hearts. At large, in the globe cyber-bullying occur due to anonymous content and author. However, it could be an inviting source of getting connected and to have valuable communication. That is, browsing the authored resources and meeting the reality in face to face for assertive conversation and discussions.

In the comtemporary society of technology, the learners become addicted to the social media platforms and landing up liable for plagiarism and copyright acts. Many researchers have figured out that the greatest consequence of plagiarism within social media can be seen in academia. It was also mentioned by Karpinski, & Duberstein (2009) that students plagiarise the tasks assigned. Similarly, many of the students in Bhutan are now influenced by the available social media. They easily browse the information from the internet and use in their assignments and project works. They try to make a second rate copy an original source without understanding and crediting the source or author, where they are finally in conflict with plagiarism laws.

Social media which are being used today with great desire and enthusiam have altered the ways of students to communicate, participate in collaborate discussions. The negative impact of social media could be driven out and assist learners for better learning, provided they use it vigilantly and wisely. It would howerver deteriote the learning process if they believe in anonymity, abusive nature and ready made materials from social media platforms for the academic advancement.

















Reference

Karpinski, & Duberstein, (2009). A description of     Facebook use and Perfomance among       Undergraduate
and Graduate Students. California: Educational Research Association.
Nicole, E. (2007). The benefits of Face Book " Friends;" Social Capital and College Students. Journal of
Computer-Mediated Communication , 23.
Paul, J. (2012). Effect of Online Social Networking on student's Performance. Computer in Human Behaviors , 28 (b).

Retrieved from;
https//:www.kuenselonline.com.bt on 21/03/2018
www.facebook.bhutannewsforum.com on 22/03/2018

...I have fully given up a hope to meet him again!..

I have totally given up a hope to meet him again!

To retrospect on a bygone days of an innocent boy is just a paralysing matter-All things are mere memories to push me further to grow better. Sometimes a funny recollection, yet scary. Sometimes troublesome, yet a good experience. 

Entering into their guava orchard and getting chased into a deadly thorns is one moment that strikes vividly still today. It had being silly but couldn't answer to the question 'What they would have done, if I were caught and brutally beaten?'

Imposing fearness to the teachers was another moment- staying away between the school and home in thick jungles abandoning the school. Often, my parents unchained their old purses to let ME go happily to the school. I would be absent incase if they can't afford to send me happily. 
The irony is; I was now told that our family was economically backward, socially doomed and many more..

Had parents not been able to make me go happily to the school-abandoned schooling and given up education, 'What would ME be now?' is the question again. It was troublesome to them (parents), yet my lifelong lesson..

Smile

It was never the best day, not even a good day when she went for annual marathon practice. The day was abruptly hot where his breathing route  got nearly blocked. Her mouth blued, lips bubbled, face reddened and the tongue cloved on the roof of her mouth. She was totally tongue-tied yet, rushed steadily then.
In distance, she noticed a man in awful faded pant and shirt. His atire was totally awful. On contrary, he was filled with mesmerising smile which she never seen and felt. Steeping closer, she saw a bottle of water wrapped inside his old faded shirt. To her thirst, she requested, "Excuse me sir, may I have a bit of your water?". The man noded and replied, "Sure! You can have it all if you ever could. You are welcomed". No sooner she had water then they began sharing their status. "I am single and looking for one", remarked the both.
Half dozen years later, she was widowed when they already have two kids. She knew that he was having three kids from his first wife. Ever since then, her life shattered, bullied, downtrodden and thrown in the dust of misery.

The moral:
a) To examine and believe a thing at a first sight is the toughest of all we achieve in our lives.
b) There are something more to perceive than to see with our eyes and receive. 
c) So long we felt the realism, everything is hypocritical. So is the smile and simplicity. 

To Whom should I Thank....

Coming to world as the daughter and /or son to your loving parents and as a charming sister and/or brother to your siblings is where we should formously have certain degree of solicitation.

Wishing to remain exciting, bountiful and unwavering happiness in your LIFE is simply an enduring hopes of all humankind. Remembering to gratify an Almighty for you can 'SEE', 'HEAR', 'SMELL', 'TASTE' & 'FEEL' the things around is one gratitude that has to be imprinted intrinsically.
For we can See coherently, because we were born

without Visionary  impairment.
For we can Hear vividly, because we were given good Auditory system.
For we can Smell cautiously, because we were born without Olfactory  disorder.
For we can Taste righteously, because we were born without Gustatory abnormalities.
For we can Feel sensitively, because we were born without Somatosensory impairment.

For we posses all the abilities to rotate the wheels of our dreams; withstand the obstacles and achieve all; with the greatest hope and will. We are not supposed to be downtrodden.

Coming to this world is just beautiful with the perfect sensory modalities!

The Challenging Boundary Line, 'An idiotic student '.

....where my memory lies....

"...I was unaware that the rule was in  place..."
An internal monologue triggered me to flashback how weird was my mind in the past. To get enrolled in the school was easy but the will of the child to be in the school was challenging for all the parents. Quite often,  they (parents) had to unchained their old purse ('teru pacco' in Sharchhop) to let their children go happily to the school.

But today the scenario is just contradictory-more than three dozen children for only one dozen seats for example.
I was told (by parents) about how they struggled to let me go back to the school after having dropped out from the school. I learnthink that I had been in pre-primary (PP) for a month or two, when I already decided not returning to school.

The reason was silly but worth remembering. I was brutally beaten three times on my left palm for i was unaware of the rule,'Stand in standstill position while lowering the National Flag'.
The school had a rule stating that students must be in standstill in the school campus when lowering the flag. I remember there was a border (school gate) where all the students should stand in standstill position upon hearing the signal (whistle blow) to lower the National Flag.
No sooner the class gets over than we dashed in dying speed to cross the border (school gate).

Some fails to cross and falls flat to overtake each other. Everyone would overwhelmed with happiness if any of us had crossed the boundary line (school gate) before the signal.
The chalenge in us wasn't only the studies but restrospecting on getting out of that boundary line;  became a stunning challenge.

Mountain- 'Gift of the Nature'

 Nature is represented in different shapes and colours. We cannot measure their importance only in terms of animals. They are truly a god-given natural scenery to everyone. That is,  they are wealth, health, shelter and many more.

 Mountains not only provide animals a wide range of place to live but they also are wealth of the people. No matter how far flung the places are located, mountain streams harness to provide water power to produce electricity.
 So the homes are bright and happy . Some part of it can be exported to generate income.

 Mountain streams are always clean for drinking. The air from them is even cleaner to breathe. People don't have to worry about any sort of discomfort. They have a power to make people optimistic and positive, as people's dreams are as high as it's summit.

It's helpfulness to people needs no explanation. It's well-maintained humidity enables the growth of plants, flowers and more. Out of which trees are the one. People now can have easy access to timbers room build their houses.

Amongst different shapes and colours of the nature's representations, mountains are the one.  They are also the source of inner peace. They holds the same ray of people's hope and pin it to its summit.